1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an MRI apparatus that provides tomograms of human subject by utilizing magnetic resonance.
2. Description of the Related Art
MRI apparatuses that provide tomograms of human subject by using magnetic resonance are known. Any MRI apparatus can obtain tomograms viewed from various desired directions, which have higher contrast resolution than images acquired by any other radiological checks such as simple photography and computer tomography. The MRI apparatus is advantageous in many respects. For example, no artifacts are generated from bone and air, and no X-ray exposure takes place. This is why the MRI apparatus is used to acquire tomograms of various regions of interest, such as head, knees, vertebra, limbs and breasts.
To perform tomography by using the MRI apparatus, a doctor or a medical person (hereinafter generally referred to as “medical expert”) makes the subject lay on the bed and attaches a receiver coil to that part of the subject, in which the region of interest exists. The medical expert then informs the subject of a point the subject must pay attention to during the tomography. Next, the medical expert moves the bed, setting the region of interest at a specific part of the MRI apparatus. He or she operates the MRI apparatus, applying a magnetic field to the region of interest. In the region of interest, a magnetic resonance signal is generated. The receiver coil receives the magnetic resonance signal. The signal is processed, providing a tomogram of the region of interest.
There are many types of receiver coils. Each coil is designed to receive a magnetic resonance signal from a specific region of interest. It is therefore necessary to use the receiver coil that can best receive a signal from the region of interest. Further, any receiver coil must be attached to the subject by a special method. The items that require attention on the part of the subject differ from one region of interest to another. The medical expert should therefore inform the subject of the very items that the subject must be careful about while the region of interest is being photographed, in order to obtain desired tomograms of that region.
Thus, it is far more difficult to use the MRI apparatus than other medical apparatuses. Medical experts not used to operate the MRI apparatus can hardly perform the above-described procedure, both quickly and exactly.
The medical expert cannot help but refer to the manual placed in the control room, to attach the receiver coil to the subject and to inform the subject of what the subject should pay attention to during the tomography. Namely, the expert must go from the MRI room to the control room, reads the manual, and go back to the MRI room, in order to attach the coil to the subject or inform the subject of what he or she should be careful about during the tomography. It takes the medical expert much time and labor, and the work efficiency is very low.
In view of this, medical apparatuses with a monitor that displays instructions to medical experts have been developed in recent years. Such an apparatus is disclosed in, for example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. Publication No. 2002-16825. However, the monitor described in this publication is provided for training only, and medical experts still need to learn how to operate the MRI apparatus. It therefore remains a burden for them to use the MRI apparatus.